Average time for processing income tax returns (FOI)

Request

Please can you let me know the average time for processing an income tax return each year for the last five years (2012 to 2016)?

I would like this split by type of return please, (single person, married couple, civil partnership and so on).

Response

It is understood the request seeks to establish the average time from the date of receipt of a personal tax return into the Taxes Office, to the date that the tax assessment, in accordance with that return, is issued.

The table below is provided on that basis:

Notes:
1) The longer processing time in recent years reflects difficulties in recruiting and retaining new staff whilst devoting increasing resources to a major transformation programme.

2) Online filing and assessment, which it is expected will be available from January 2020, will enable taxpayers to file their tax return and receive their assessment within days rather than months.